Austin Clarke
Encyclopedia
Austin Ardinel Chesterfield Clarke, (born July 26, 1934) is a Canadian
novelist, essayist and short story
writer who lives in Toronto
, Ontario
. Born in St. James, Barbados
, in 1955 Clarke moved to Canada, where he attended the University of Toronto
.
He was a reporter in the Ontario communities of Timmins
and Kirkland Lake, before joining the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
as a freelance journalist.
. He won the Giller Prize for The Polished Hoe
in 2002
, as well as the Commonwealth Writers Prize in 2003. In 2009 he received the Toronto Book Award for his novel More.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
novelist, essayist and short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
writer who lives in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Born in St. James, Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, in 1955 Clarke moved to Canada, where he attended the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
He was a reporter in the Ontario communities of Timmins
Timmins
Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
and Kirkland Lake, before joining the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
as a freelance journalist.
Awards
In 1998, he was made a Member of the Order of CanadaOrder of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He won the Giller Prize for The Polished Hoe
The Polished Hoe
The Polished Hoe is a novel by Canadian writer Austin Clarke, published by Thomas Allen Publishers in 2002. It was named the winner of the 2002 Scotiabank Giller Prize....
in 2002
2002 in literature
The year 2002 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*March 16: Authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested and jailed poet Abdul Mohsen Musalam and fired a newspaper editor following the publication of Musalam's poem The Corrupt on Earth that criticized the state's Islamic...
, as well as the Commonwealth Writers Prize in 2003. In 2009 he received the Toronto Book Award for his novel More.
Novels
- The Survivors of the Crossing (1964)
- Amongst Thistles and Thorns (1965)
- The Meeting Point (1967)
- Storm of Fortune (1973)
- The Bigger Light (1975)
- The Prime Minister (1977)
- Proud Empires (1988)
- The Origin of Waves (1997, winner of the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction PrizeRogers Writers' Trust Fiction PrizeThe Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize is a Canadian literary award presented by Rogers Communications and the Writers' Trust of Canada after an annual juried competition between publishers who submit entries....
) - The Question (1999, nominated for a Governor General's Award2000 Governor General's AwardsThe 2000 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit were presented by Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, and Jean-Louis Roux, Chairman of the Canada Council for the Arts, on November 14 at Rideau Hall.-Fiction:...
) - The Polished HoeThe Polished HoeThe Polished Hoe is a novel by Canadian writer Austin Clarke, published by Thomas Allen Publishers in 2002. It was named the winner of the 2002 Scotiabank Giller Prize....
(2002, winner of the Giller Prize and the Commonwealth Writers Prize) - More (2008)
Short stories
- When He Was Free and Young and He Used to Wear Silks (1971)
- When Women Rule (1985)
- Nine Men Who Laughed (1986)
- In This City (1992)
- There Are No Elders (1993)
- Choosing His Coffin (2003)
Non-fiction
- Growing Up Stupid Under the Union Jack (1980)
- Public Enemies: Police Violence and Black Youth (1992)
- A Passage Back Home: A Personal Reminiscence of Samuel Selvon (1994)
- Pigtails 'n' Breadfruit (1999)
- A Stranger In A Strange Land